The sale of food items such as baked goods, for example, is done in a conventional way though specialized outlets like bakeries or—in the case of meat and sausage—in butcher shops. Increasingly, however, their sale takes place though other outlets like supermarkets, but various requirements result from this. One requirement is that the sale must be as economical as possible. In addition, the baked goods must look attractive and be as fresh as possible. With regard to the first requirement, the use of automated devices has increased to reduce personnel costs. However, as far as cost assessment is concerned, the space needed for such a device is an important consideration. Modern supermarkets, for example, determine a parameter for this purpose that is used for calculating and monitoring the ratio of sales area and turnover with the aim of achieving the highest possible turnover per available unit/sales area.
Also important is an attractive and safe availability and dispensing of the food items from the viewpoint of food processing. Examples of this are baking ovens set up in the supermarket sales areas, where they are filled and emptied by the sales staff. These sales methods have the disadvantage that dirt is generated in the sales room, every customer has potential access to the baking room, many salespeople are needed for dispensing, and several customers can touch the goods.